Press release - 3 March, 2009
Greenpeace has launched its 'IT Climate Leadership Challenge', calling on the CEOs of the IT industry to provide real solutions for the imminent threat of global warming while also tackling the current economic crisis by turning climate change into a business opportunity.
Greenpeace has laid down its challenge to the CEOs of Cisco, Dell, Fujitsu, Google, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Nokia, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony, Sun Microsystems and Toshiba.
2009 will be a vital year in the fight against climate change. World leaders will gather in Copenhagen in December for a key meeting to decide on the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol and the global steps to be taken to tackle climate change. With many powerful industrial groups lobbying against global regulation, the world's climate now needs champions more than ever.
"Companies who take the lead in this challenge will see a massive increase in their market share as top line support for a strong climate deal can only be good for the bottom line of the ICT industry", said Greenpeace International's green electronics campaigner, Tom Dowdall.
ICT is a key sector in the fight against climate change and could enable emissions reductions of 15% of business as usual emissions. However, it must keep its own growing footprint in check and overcome a number of hurdles if it expects to deliver on this potential.
Greenpeace is challenging the companies' CEOs to:
- Publicly demonstrate their support for a strong Kyoto deal
- Lobby their national governments to support strong global mandatory Kyoto regulation
- Significantly cut their own company's absolute emissions
- Ensure a large scale increase in their company's own use of renewable energy
Building on its quarterly Guide to Greener Electronics, Greenpeace will be periodically evaluating responses from the companies and will be highlighting those company CEOs who are stepping up to the Climate Challenge and showing true climate leadership in 2009 and beyond.
Other contacts: Prajna Khanna, Greenpeace International, Communications Project Manager Toxics
Mobile: + 31 (0) 6290 34990
Tom Dowdall, Greenpeace International Green electronics Campaigner
Mobile: +31 (0)6212 96892
Melanie Francis, Greenpeace International Climate Campaigner
Mobile: +31(0)653819121
Press Desk, Greenpeace International, +31 (0) 20 718 2470